Pope Francis traveled to Indonesia over the week of Thursday, September 5 to preach a message of interfaith cooperation to reject radicalism and protect the environment. He met with grand imam Nasaruddin Umar while at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque and hosted an interfaith service with clerics from Buddist, Hindu, and other popular faiths.
He also led a traditional Catholic Mass at a nearby stadium with a turnout of over 100,000 people. The crowd issued jubilant cheers as Francis was driven around the edge of the field in his open-topped popemobile.
The interfaith ceremony featured Umar and Francis at the iconic “Tunnel of Friendship,” a symbolic and literal connection between a Catholic cathedral and the mosque. The tunnel has served as an internationally recognized symbol of peaceful coexistence between differing faiths in the region.
Despite the good will, there’s plenty of work to still be done. Amnesty International reports that there have been 123 incidents of extremist violence between January 2021 and July 2024.
Francis remarked that the tunnel was a reminder of how different faiths can all lead different people “towards the lights.” He also suggested the faithful could reciprocate love and respect for their fellow man and reject extremism on principle. Francis added that open societies require flexible systems and that radical solutions based in violence rarely lead to successful outcomes.
Francis’ stop in Indonesia was part of an 11-day trek across four different countries; he spoke out against religious extremism during each stop. Francis has made it a point to reach out to Muslim religious leaders to encourage peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
Francis also spoke out against human-caused environmental damage which he suggested was the cause of climate change. Francis also expressed the belief that human pillaging of the environment was triggering more natural disasters.
Umar spoke about how the Istiqlal Mosque was intended to be a gathering center for everyone, not just Muslims. He also suggested the tunnel represented the coming together of peoples of all faiths.
The following Mass in Jakarta’s largest stadium had so many attendees that there was an overflow of viewers forced to watch the service on big screens outside in the parking lot.
